Slug casting machine



May 23, 1933.

J. R. ROGERS SLUG CASTING MACHINE Filed April 2, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l 11v VEZV TOR 240 fi/VE VJ May 23, 1933. ROGERS 1,910,567

S LUG CASTING MACHINE A T T ORZE VJ STATES PATENT @FFEQE JOHN R. Elf-GEES, 01E" BEOflKL-YN, NEXV YORK, ASSIGNOB TO MERGENTHALER LINGTETEE GDIvf-LEANY, A CORPORATION 0?? NEW? YORK :Ication filed April 2,

This invention relates to slug casting machin such linotype machines of the gene1 l organization represented in Letters Pate. to O. lliergenthaler, No. 436,532, wherein circulating matrices and expansible spacebands released from their respective storage in. and then assembled in line, the composed line transferred into a verti cally movable transporter which presents it to the face of a slotted mold, the mold filled with molten metal to form a slug or linotype st the composed line, and the matrices spacebands thereafter returned through trzmsfor and distributing mechanism to the zines from which they started. 1 these machines, the spa ccbands employed each comprise a short relatively fixed wedge-shaped member formed with ejectlug ears and a longer movable wedge-shaped member slidably connected to the shorter member so that it may be thrust upwardly through a composed line to expand and justify it. The matrices and spaccbands are of the same body width, but the former are usually provided in their casJing edges with routing notches which at the time of casting expose small areas of the outer side faces of the spacebands to the action of the molten ype metal. In time, or after repeated castoperations, the areas thus exposed of relatively fixed member of the individ- .al spacebands become coated with oxidized metal deposits, which are caused probably by the displacement of the minute pockcts formed in the intaglio characters of the matrices at the time of casting. The longer movable members of the spacebands, on the other hand, due to their frictional contact with adjacent matrices during justification, are unaffected in this w; y and maintain a perfectly clean condition. If allowed to accumr to, these metal deposits may either prevent the snug contact required between the spacel ands and contiguous matrices of a composed line or crush in the thin side walls of the matrix cavities when the line is clamped between the vise jaws.

To overcome such difficulties, it has heretofore been the common practice to remove 1939. Serial No. 6&2548.

all of the spacebands quite frequently from their storage magazine in the machine and clean them. This work is usually done by hand and is not only slow and tedious, but

must be skillfully performed to avoid serious damage to the spacebands themselves.

The present invention aims to eliminate the above practice and contemplates means whereby the spacebands may be cleaned automatically while performing their regular function in the machine. To this end, specifically, the line transporter is constructed so as to allow the spacebands to partake of a substantial bodily upward movement rela tively to the matrices during justification of the composed lines, it being understood that ordinarily the shorter members of the bands at such times are locked or held by their projecting ears against any appreciable vcrtical movement in the transporter. In the preferred embodiment illustrated the grooves of the transporter, wherein the projecting ears of the spaccbands engage, are made sufficiently wide to permit the shorter members of the bands to rise a limited predetermined distance as the longer members thereof are driven upwardly in the usual way to effect justification of the composed lines.

In the accompanying drawings, the invention has been shown merely in preferred form by way of example and as applied to a linotype machine, but obviously many changes and variations may be made therein and in its mode of application which will still be comprised within its spirit. It should, therefore, be understood that the invention is not limited to any specific form. or embodiment except insofar as such limitations are specified in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, of a portion of a linotype machine embod ying the present improvements, and showing certain parts of the line delivery, line clamping, and justifying devices;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken through the casting mechanism with certain of the parts indicated by broken lines, and showing the position of the spacebands of a composed line preparatory to justification;

standard linotypc spaceban' slightly enlarged scale, of a regular two-letter matrix.

The matrices and spacebands herein shown are representative of those used in the conimercial linetype machines.

The matrices X (Fig. 6) are eacii formed with upper and lower projecting can; :0 in and with one or two suporoo:-5ed intaglio characters 22 at, which are punched s usual in the bottoms of recesses or routir notches 00 extending transversely across the casting edges of the matrices.

The spacebands Y (Fig. 4) each comprise two wedge-shaped members Y 1, whose outer side faces are straight and whose inner contacting faces are inclined at the same angle so that tie outer faces will remain parallel at all times. The shorter member Y is provided as usual with projecting ears g also with vertical tongues 3 by means of which it is connected to the longer movable member Y In the normal operation of the machine, a composed line of matrices X and spacebands Y is lifted by an assembling elevator (not shown) between the depending fingers of the delivery slide A (Fig. 1) and transferred thereby through the intermediate channel B into the vertically movable transporter or so-called first elevator G. The transporter thereupon descends to present the composed line to the face of a slotted mold D and between a pair of opposed clamping jaws E, E As the cycle of operation proceeds, the mold is advanced against the line to aline the constituents thereof edgewise, and is then backed away a few thousandths of an inch so that the line may be justified and the matrix characters alined horizontally with the mold slot. The justifying operations are effected by a vertically reciprocating bar F which drives the longer members Y of the spacebands upwardly through the line, and the horizontal alinement is effected by urging the transporter upwardly to force the 5 alining surfaces of the matrices, (formed on the lower projecting cars 09 thereof), into engagement with the rib (Z or d of the mold. When justification is complete, the mold is advanced a second time against the composed line preparatory to the descent of the pot piungers and the casting of the slug. After the casting operation, the transporter raised a considerable distance above its line receiving position to the upper transferlevel and the line is shifted therefrom for separation and dist 'ibution of the matrices and spacebands.

fie far as described, the construction of the parts and their mode of operation, except as hereinafter pointed out, are or may be the same as those embodied in the commercial linotype machines and will readily be understood by those familiar with the art. However, it may be mentioned, for the sake of clearness, that the adjustable left-hand clamping jaw E at the time of justification is located and sustained against endwise movement, in line with the contiguous end wall of the mold slot, and that it is subsequently retracted sufliciently to relieve the composed line of pressure before the transporter rises from. the casting position. Such movements of the jaw E are controlled in the usual way by the vertical reciprocating wedge M (Fig. 1) through the auxiliary grooved rod M and the cooperating banking block M The right-hand jaw E is relatively fixed and adapted to stand in line with the opposite end wall of the mold slot when the matrix line is expanded between the jaws. It may also be mentioned that in the use of the two-letter matrices X, it is customary to compose them at the lower assembling level and to support the transporter at different casting levels to bring the superposed characters m or m of the matrices into proper casting relation to the mold. For example, in casting a solid line of italics, the matrices are composed at the lower assembling level and the transporter is supportc as shown in Fig. 5, at the up per casting level; whereas, in casting a solid line of Roman characters, or a line comprising both Roman and italic characters, the matrices are assembled at the same lower level and the transporter supported (as shown in Figs. 2 and 3) at the lower casting level.

The transporter C, as usual, is carried at the upper end. of a long vertical slide 0 (indicated by the broken lines in Fig. 2) and comprises front and rear side walls C C, respectively, which. are joined together in spaced relation by a block C located at one end of the transporter. Matrices delivered to the transporter obtain support ther in by their projecting ears, the side wall C and C being provided with a pair of iori zontal rails 0 arranged to cooperate with the upper projecting cars 00 of the matrices, and the front side wall C being provided also with a single retractable rail. 0 which is arranged to cooperate with the lower projecting ears w of the matrices. The rails c are adapted to give support to the matrices if they are composed at the lower ass-:emblieg level, while the single rail 0 is adapted to give them support if they happen to be com posed at the upper assembling level.

The transporter C is further provided with a pair of horizontal grooves 0 formed in the respective side walls C C and which support the spacebands Y of a composed line by their projecting ears y. Ordinarily such grooves closely confine the ears of the spacebands but, in the present insflince, (see Figs. 2 and 3), the grooves 0" are approximately double the width of the projecting cars 1/ in order to permit the shorter members Y of the spacebands to be moved vertica ly within the limits defined by the upper and lower walls of the said gl'OOVI. Consequently, when the vbar F drives the longer members Y of the spacebands upwardly to justify a composed matrix line between the jaws E, E the shorter DJQHibLZIJi-l Y through their frictional engagement with the members Y will also be car ied upwardly in relation to the line, until they arrested (as shown in Fig. 8) by the enga 7 ment of their projecting ears 3 with the up per walls of the grooves As a result, these areas of the members Y (indicated by the shade lines Y in Fig. 4) which are disposed in the zone of the routing notches of the matrices, and are thus exposed to the action of the molten metal during the casting operation, will be rubbed ag the adjoining matrices and any particles of m lic oxide adhering thereto will be remevt The upward movement of the members Y as allowed by the grooves 0 is confined. within certain limitations as determiied by the vertical distance between the lower side wall of the mold slot and the lower ends of the casting edges of said members when the transporter (as shown in Fig. 5) is supported at the upper casting level. his distance is usually seven thirty-seconds of an inch, and the rise of the shorter members Y of the spacebands must therefore be within this figure, in order to prevent the escape hf metal beneath the members Y at the time of casting. Under certain conditions unnecessary to refer to, the distance might have to be less.

l Vhile the upward movement of the members Y is thus considerably less than the heights of the routing notches in many matrices, it is nevertheless adequate for the intended purpose, since the matrices which happen to lie next to the spacebands are constantly changing in the course of composition. That is to say, the shorter member 1 1 of a spaceband may at one time be positioned alongside a head-letter matrix with a correspondingly wide routing notch, and at another time be located next to a quad or similar matrix having no routing notch at all. Furthermore, the height of the routing notches varies not only as between fonts but also as between characters of an individual font, so that eventually the whole of the affected areas of the members Y will undergo the desired frictional contact with the adjoining matrices.

After the casting operation and before the line is discharged from the transporter C preparatory to the return of the matrices and spacebands to their respective storage magazines, it is important for reasons unnecessary to mention that the short members Y of the spacebands be restored to their original position in the line or with their projecting ears 3 resting upon the lower walls of the grooves 0 For this purpose and as best shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the upper walls of the grooves 0 are formed with corresponding inclined guiding surfaces 0 located adjacent the receiving end of the transporter C. These guiding surfaces restric' the width of the grooves 0 and are zmlapted, as the composed line is shifted toward the right (Fig. l), to engage the projecting ears y of the spacebands and cam the members Y downwardly into the position required.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a slug casting machine equipped with matrices and expansible spacebands, the combination of means for supporting a com posed line of matrices and spa-cebands in casting position, a vertically movable justifier operable before casting for expanding the spacebands to effect justification of the composed line, means for allowing the spacebands to partake of a substantial bodily upmovement in relation to the matrices during justification, and means effective after casting for restoring the spacebands to their original position in the line.

2. In a slug casting machine equipped with matrices and expansible spacebands, the combination of a transporter for supporting a composed line of matrices and spacebands in casting position and movable vertically after casting to carry the line to the transfer position, means for expanding the spacebands to effect justification of the composed line, means for allowing the spacebands to partake of a substantial bodily upward movement in relation to the matrices during justification, and means for restoring the spacebands to their original position in the line as they are transferred.

3. In a slug casting machine equipped with matrices and expansible spacebands formed with projecting ears, the combination of a transporter for supporting a composed iine of matrices and spacebands in casting position, grooves formed in the transporter for sustaining the spacebands of the line by their projecting ears,.and a vertically movable justifier for expanding the s )acebands to effect justification of the composed line, said transporter grooves being made sufficiently wide to allow the spacehands during justification to partake of a substantially bodily upward movement in relation to the matrices, for the purpose described.

4. The combination as specified in claim 3, characterized by the fact that the restoring means referred to consists of beveled surfaces located at the receiving end of the transporter and formed on the upper walls of the spaceband grooves.

5. In a slug casting machine equipped with matrices and spacebands, the latter comprising each a relatively fixed wedgeshaped member and a longer cooperating vedge-shaped member slidably connected together, the combination of a transporter for supporting a composed line of matrices and spacebands in casting position, a vertically movable bar for pushing the longer members of the spacebands upwardly in relation to the shorter members thereof in eiilecting ustification of the composed li e, and means for allowing a substantial upward movement of the shorter members of the spacebands in relation to the matrices as the line is justitied.

6. The combination as specified in claim 5, characterized by the fact that the shorter members of the spacebands are formed with projecting ears and that the transporter is formed with receiving grooves of a width approximately double the height or width of said ears.

7. In or for a slug casting machine equipped with matrices and expansible spacebands, a transporter for supporting a composed line of matrices and spacebands in casting position, said transporter being formed with grooves for supporting the spacebands of a composed line by their pro jecting ears, and said grooves being suli'iciently wide to allow the spacebands to partake of a substantial bodily vertical movement, for the purpose described.

8. In a slug casting machine equipped with matrices and expansible spacebands, the latter comprising each a relatively fixed wedge-shaped member and a longer cooperating wedge-shaped member slidably con nected together, the combination of means for supporting a composed line of matrices and spacebands in casting position, means for moving the longer members of the space bands relatively to the shorter members in effecting justification of the line, and means for allowing the shorter members of the spacebands to be moved a substantial dis-- tance by frictional contact with the longer members thereof relatively to the matrices of the line as the latter is justified.

9. In a slug casting machine equipped with matrices and expansible spacebands, the latter comprising each relatively fixed wedge-shaped member and a longer cooperating wedge-shaped member slidably connected together, the combination of means for supporting a composed line of matrices and spacebands in casting position, a vertically movable justifier for pushing the longer members of the spacebands upwardly through the line to effect justification thereof, and means for allowing the shorter 1nembers of the spacebands by frictional Contact with the longer members thereof to partake of substantial bodily upward movement in relation to the matrices as the line is ex panded.

10. In or for a slug casting machine equipped with matrices and expansible spacebands, the latter comprising each a rel atively fixed wedge-shaped meml or and a longer cooperating wedge-shaped member slidably connected together, a transporter for supporting a composed line of matrices and spacebands in casting position, said transporter being constructed so as to allow a substantial bodily upward movement of the shorter members of the spacebands by frictional contact with the longer members thereof in relation to the matrices of the line as the latter is justified.

In testimony whereof, this specification has been duly signed by:

JOHN R. scenes.

its 

